Club rugby: Colts 1 Team of the Week, women’s coverage
Club rugby: Colts 1 Team of the Week revealed following Souths upset win; Women’s coverage here.
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Easts survived a huge scare from Norths to claim a women’s club rugby thriller off the back of match winning fly half Loretta Lealiifano.
On a weekend which saw the Souths colts 1 side claim the upset of the season by defeatingf Brothers, Easts’ women won in a wonderful match of rugfby.
Tigers No.10 Lealiifano scored beneath the posts to drag her side ahead after Norths had led 19-15 in the closing stages.
Although she received front foot ball all game due to a dominant forward pack, Lealiifano did not always need her pack marching forward to get the job done.
RELATED LINKS
100 IMAGE PIC GALLERY, colts 1, women’s rugby
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Easts then scored another late try to blow out the score line, but don’t be fooled as this was anyone’s game. Easts won 27-19.
Plucky Norths can take a bow after playing their part in a ripping match.
Although out played as a unit, individually the Norths forwards put in a huge effort and should feel no shame at being unable to match Easts rolling mauls or scrums.
Two runaway tries - one in each half to Caitlin Stewart and Jess Nugent - nullified Easts rousing set piece performances to put the Eagles into the lead 19-15 in the second half.
Both were wonderful individual bursts by the Norths pair which rewarded their teams stoic defence.
Then into the second half and it was Easts turn to defend, denying their rivals despite Norths centre Janaya Trapman creating a half chance just prior to Nugent’s try scoring burst.
A glorious sweeping backline movement from inside their quarter also punctured Easts line, but Tigers flanker Alicia Heller was magnificent with a covering tackle and then stealing ball at the same breakdown.
It was the type of play which typified the desperate nature of the match.
Norths jumped their rivals to lead 12-nil early, with tries to Jess Nugent and Caitlin Stewart giving the Eagles flight early.
Stewart, threatening all season, was superb on a 60m run to the line which finished with he scoring under the posts. Her conversion made it 12-nil.
But back-to-back tries by Easts, both engineered by powerhouse forward efforts, reduced the margin to just two points.
First a rolling maul and then a scrum gave the platform for Inside backs Rosie Ebbage and Loretta lealiifano to cross.
Ebbage took advantage of quick ball delivered off the back of a perfectly executed rolling maul while Lealiifano powered forward after a dominant scrum.
Easts continued to the transformation, pounding the Norths line until finally the Eagles dogged defence gave way on the flank where Lealiifano scored again.
In colts 1, Souths caused the boilover of the season, defeating Brothers 26-22.
Back rower John Bryant scored two tries and Oscar Howes the late winner as the Magpies soared against the premiership favourites.
Harry McLaughlin-Phillips played strongly for Souths as the Magpies led 21-5, only to lose the lead 22-21, before they scored the match-winner after Brothers were reduced to 14 men.
Souths coach Cian O’Connor also praised loosehead prop Sam Pologa, Bryant at No.8, Cadell Rees at lock and inside centre Peron.
“We started slowly then played some excellent rugby to halftime,’’ said O’Connor.
“We then gave some opportunities through error to Brothers and had to absorb a lot of pressure before coming home strong to finish the game ahead.’’
For Brothers, coach Greg Beaver said his team needed to “exit’’ better in the second half, a task they achieved to score three tries.
But it was not enough as the side slipped to only its second loss of the season.
For Brothers Jack Condon gave the side plenty of second half spark after coming off the bench, while the reliable Harry Grant, No.8 Tevita Mapa and centre Tim Ryan played well
At Hugh Courtney Oval, Easts escaped with a win in Colts 1, but only just in a frantic clash.
The Tigers claimed the win 22-15 against spirited rivals after a dramatic first half - which included the send off of Tanasio Winikerei (Easts) and the yellow carding of Norths lock Richard Faasisila.
An Easts replacement forward plunged over after his inside centre Jarrod Homan had scattered the Norths defence to put his team on the attack.
Norths were brave in defending Easts pick and drive play, and it was a battle Royale throughout.
In the first half it was Easts who opened the scoring.
Off the back of an avalanche of possession the Tigers finally found a channel to the line courtesy of BBC old boy Taj Annan.
The fullback sliced through out wide after Easts had pounded their rivals in close quarter combat.
Winiketei’s red card for a lifting tackle came as both teams went wide playing attacking rugby early.
Norths response to Annan’s try was spectacular, with Jack Hussey skirting over after Will McCulloch and Hamish Muir had combined.
McCulloch threatened a second time soon after but Easts’ cover defence was up to the challenge.
Easts had a vastly superior scrum, but Norths did get a hit on Easts once, sending the Tigers repelling backwards.
In other colts results, Wests pipped Bond 17-15 despite Bond scoring three tries to two, while GPS claimed a 26-19 win against a spirited Sunnybank who rallied from a 17 point deficit.
GPS coach Sio Kite said in tough and slippery conditions, a gritty Sunnybank did not quit.
“But I liked our resolves to hang tough when Sunnybank got momentum,’’’ he said.
Blindside flanker Stuart Tualima, Matthias Maugatai at lock and centre Gus Rosanowski were best for GPS.
Sunnybank coach Brendan Underwood said it was a great performance by his side.
“I am very proud of the group who keep turning up and today proved we are getting closer to that W (win),’’ Underwood said.
Lock Isaac Nomani led the way wioth great defence and line speed, chopping ball carriers off. “His tackling demanded respect frpm GPS,’’ Underwood said.
“GPS had the wind in the first half and we made it harder for ourselves with a yellow card.’’
But with a srong kicking game and strong defence, Sunnybank rallied to push for victory.
“Great tries were created and scored, and with two minutes to to and only one try down, we had the opportunity to cross the line but unfortunately came up short.’’
On the Gold Coast, Wests had a narrow victory over Bond Uni, a win Bulldogs coach Rob Roiri was well pleased with.
With Pat Lavenmai shining at No.3 to scrum went well around the leadership of Alec Robinson at lock and Max Johnson alongside of him.
At inside centre Jordyn Bell controlled the defence and the change of Baxter Frany to No.10 and Lachlan Kerr to fullback kept Bond guessing.
In our team of the week we choose the best players and found a way to shoe-born them into the squad, so some players made the team not in the actual position they played
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Lachlan Kerr (Wests)
Tim Ryan (Brothers)
Peron Faimalo (Souths)
Taj Annan (Easts)
Hamish Muir (Norths)
Baxter Franey (Wests)
Sam Farrar (Easts)
John Bryant (Souths)
Jack Condon (Brothers)
Stuart Tualima (GPS)
Isaac Nomani (Sunnybank)
Alec Johnson (Wests)
Pat Lavemai (Wests)
Max Craig (Easts)
Sam Pologa (Souths)
Reserves: Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (Souths), Gus Rosanowski (GPS), Harry Grant (Brothers), Max Johnson (Wests), Matthias Maugatai (GPS), Cadell Rees (Souths), Tevita Mapa (Brothers), Jordyn Bell (Wests), Jack Small (Norths).
In women’s results Bond and Wests drew 22-all, Sunnybank upset GPS 17-7 and Souths beat Brothers 27-nil.
Bond’s draw with Wests featured a starring performance by Bond’s Melanie Wilks who was great on both sides of the ball. She scored all 22 poins.
Also for Bond the lightning quick Dianne Waight continued her progress.
For Wests, it was a rousing Bulldogs recovery to snatch the draw after being down 22-17 with five minutes to play.
“We scored right on fulltime underneath the posts and missed the conversion to win,’’ said Wests coach Ernest Skelton, praising Alana Elisaia, Maraea Tupai and Liz Patu.
The Dragons lowered the colours of GPS, despite Diuna Biau’s tenacious performance for the Galloping Greens “on both sides of the ball’’.
Brothers’ had a big hearted effort despite defeat, with coach Shirley Russell having hige praise for Lydia Durkin and Kirra Burke.
“They were standouts with many strong carries and were dominant in defence and at the breakdown,’’ said coach Shirley Russell.
“Nina Poletti and Mabel Johnson never stopped trying and lifted the team with their go forward and attitude.
“Effort wise, with a limited bench the players really showed up for each other and took pride in their work, never giving an inch right through to full time.
“A good example was after full time we had the option to kick the ball out and end the game but opted to attack even from deep within our 22,.
The effort was first class and showed a lt of trust in the people around them.’’
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